1. Field
This invention relates to selecting a network to provide wireless communication with a terminal, when a plurality of such networks is available to provide the communication.
2. Description of Related Art
It is well known that public land mobile networks (PLMNs) can provide a range of services including voice and data. A user terminal can roam from one network to another as dictated by the user's service provider, which permits roaming according to agreements made with network providers.
Digital data services can also be provided to user terminals through other radio access technologies, such as wireless local area networks (WLANs). WLANS may utilise broadband DSL for example to provide a WLAN in a coffee shop or other location. Also, wide area WLANs have been proposed, known as Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX).
It has been proposed to provide seamless access to services from a user terminal through the agency of one or more of the aforementioned networks. However, hitherto, the methodologies for providing access to networks operable according to different transmission protocols are widely different. For example, network roaming for PLMNs is controlled primarily through the network rather than the terminal whereas for WLANs, the choice of network is made primarily at the terminal itself.